Generally, many musculoskeletal problems are related to the neck, upper extremities, and shoulders. For example, the “rotator cuff” is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The rotator cuff muscles are important in shoulder movements and in maintaining shoulder joint stability. One of the most important things is to treat rotator cuff injury as soon as possible. The initial 48-72 hours are vital for a speedy recovery and complete. The conventional medical treatment as soon as injury occurs is rest, ice, compression, elevation, and referral.
The human shoulder has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. The shoulder joint comprises four muscles and their associated tendons that are referred to as the rotator cuff, which is surrounded by a bursa sac for accommodating movement of the tendons. Injury or trauma to the shoulder joint may comprise bursitis, tendonitis, arthritis, rotator cuff tears, calcification of the joint, subluxation (instability of the joint due to stretched or torn ligaments), dislocation, and/or actual breakage of the humerus, scapula, and/or clavicle bones.
A torn rotator cuff refers to damage to one of the four muscles that allow the arm to rotate at the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears can also affect the tendons that hold these muscles together. Generally, a torn rotator cuff is the result of repetitive use, but it can occur as a single traumatic injury. Rotator cuff tears are most common in active young people as well as older people who repeatedly perform activities with overhead motions, but they can occur in anyone. If one has a torn rotator cuff, he/she may experience muscle weakness, pain in the arm or shoulder, muscle wasting, or a crackling feeling when he/she moves their shoulder. The pain may get worse with time.
There are many treatments for rotator cuff tears, depending on the severity. In mild cases, the tear may repair itself over time, and rest, over-the-counter medication, and exercise may speed healing. Physical therapy, prescription medications, and steroids may be necessary in more serious cases, while severe cases of torn rotator cuff may require surgery. Surgery for torn rotator cuff ranges from smoothing of the tissues (debridement) to full tendon transfer (replacement of muscles or tendons). A combination of surgery and physical therapy often leads to a greater recovery.
Symptoms of torn rotator cuff include pain, an inability to move the shoulder, and swelling. A torn rotator cuff can be an acute (sudden) injury or a repetitive use (gradual) injury. Acute injuries may occur during strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting or sports, or may be due to an accident. More commonly, the rotator cuff will tear as a result of repetitive use, such as with frequent overhead lifting. In these cases, the muscles or tendons of the rotator cuff develop wear and tear over time. Athletes who frequently engage their rotator cuff, such as baseball players, have an increased risk of injury.
A simple, non-acute torn rotator cuff may heal on its own but can benefit from some amount of pain management, reducing inflammation, and physical therapy. If the tear is small and not excessively painful, treatments that include rest, a sling, and anti-inflammatory medications may be adequate for improving shoulder function. The more serious cases of torn rotator cuff may require surgery.
Treatment of shoulder joint injuries may comprise non-invasive techniques such as physical therapy and/or pain relief and anti-inflammatory medications. However, invasive techniques including shoulder replacement (shoulder arthroplasty), cortisone injections, and surgical repair of rotator cuff tears are also used in cases where a poor outcome from nonsurgical treatment is indicated, such as a long duration of symptoms and larger rotator cuff tears.
Deciding on when a torn rotator cuff will need surgical intervention is dependent on how the injury responds to other treatments. If other forms of non-surgical treatments prove to be ineffective even after a number of months, rotator cuff surgery may then be needed. Whether or not surgery is needed, bed rest and elevation of the retained arm are critical to the well-being and the recovery of the patient. Sleep devices to assist with shoulder or neck discomfort generally comprise the strategic placement of traditional bed pillows under the body to relieve pressure and sleep systems that reduce pressure on the shoulder or other part of the body. These sleep devices have numerous problems with providing consistent comfort for the sleeper.
Recovery from a shoulder injury requires a person to endure pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness of the shoulder joint. The person may also experience numbness or tingling of the arm or hand where nerves have been affected in the shoulder area. Therapy to rehabilitate an injured shoulder joint may require limited or complete cessation of use of the affected arm, followed by progressive range-of-motion exercises and strength training.
Injuries or stress on any joint in the body can create difficulties for a person to perform a variety of daily activities such as work, play, sleep, and exercise. Prolonged stress or an acute injury to a joint may require medical intervention that may be costly, painful, and prolonged by additional stress to the joint during healing such as from daily activity requiring use of the joint and pressure from an improper sleep position.
The process of recovering from a shoulder joint injury may cause prolonged sleep disturbances. Traditional mattresses, pillows, recliners, and other methods and tools used for sleep may actually add pressure to an injured shoulder or cause stress or soreness to the neck, back, and opposite shoulder where certain sleep positions may be favored to help reduce pressure on the injured shoulder. For example, sleeping exclusively on the opposite shoulder may result in a sore arm and cramping of muscles. Further, sleeping in a supine position on the back may cause flattening of the lumbar curve resulting in misalignment of one or more lumbar vertebrae and/or pain where the shoulder is in contact with the bedding surface as the body sinks into the bed.
Side sleeping using the traditional sleep methods and/or tools may aggravate several medical conditions in addition to a damaged shoulder joint. For example, side sleeping may cause pain for people with asymmetrical muscular tonus in the neck and/or shoulder, a sub-luxated head of the humerus, and/or arthritis in the shoulder and/or cervical thoracic spine. Further, sleeping on the side of the body without adequate support for the head and chest may compress the shoulder into the trunk, causing muscular and ligamental tension in the shoulder girdle and neck possibly, and may inhibit normal respiration by constricting the ribs.
What is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will alleviate musculoskeletal problems related to the neck, upper extremities, and shoulders, enabling ailing and recovering patients to rest comfortably while lying in a prone position, either on the patient's back or side while elevating a retained arm and experiencing some relief. Additionally, what is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will provide support for an aging population suffering from arthritis in the shoulders, neck, back, and upper extremities to rest comfortably and adjust the support that the orthopedic support pillow provides over an entire range of the retained arm. More specifically, what is needed is an orthopedic support pillow that will provide support for a person with an ailing rotator cuff, to elevate such arm while reclining in a prone position with such arm elevated and supported, in a stable position, enabling such person to rest comfortably for extended periods of time.